Always Together
by CaptainEKO
Summary: Post-Mockingjay- So Katniss and Peeta are growing back together. I'm horrible at summaries! So please read and let me know what you think. Thank You!
1. Chapter 1

Chapter 1

Peeta:

The memories are back. Both the good ones and the bad ones. I realized weeks ago that I really did love Katniss, and it wasn't just a show for the cameras. At least not for me, but I still don't know what it was to Katniss. Does she love me or doesn't she? It's a question I've asked myself for a long time and the answer is all I'm looking for now.

I tried to make myself ask her the day she came out of her house and saw me planting primroses in memory of her little sister, Prim, but I realized that it wasn't a good time. She'd lost Prim; the thing she cared about the most, and that was a wound beyond the repair of medicine. How could I ask her at a time like that? I would only make things harder for her. She lives alone since her mother stayed in the Capitol to help care for wounded because District Twelve brought back too many bad memories. The loss of her husband, and now the loss of her precious daughter, was too much pain for her to bear.

But she's not like Katniss, who could bear the weight of such pain; she even lost her best friend Madge in the bombing of Twelve. And yet she still returns to the place were all the memories linger. And that's just one of reasons I love her. Her strength one of them but the beauty within as well as out is what caught my eye the first time I saw her. I'm finishing planting the flowers in her yard when I see the curtains of Katniss's house move. At first I think its Katniss, but then I see a cat on the inside of the windowsill. _Buttercup_, I say to myself, a smile on my face. Katniss had once told me that she had tried to drown him in a bucket because she said he was ugly and just another mouth to feed. But after we came back, she's been taking care of him. I stand and wipe my forehead, _Done_, I think. It was very tiring work, but if it makes Katniss happy, I'm perfectly fine with doing it for her.

I knock on the door to tell Katniss the flowers are finished if she wants to look at them. But instead of Katniss, Greasy Sae open the door. "Hello Peeta," she says, "Anything I could do for you?"

"Where's Katniss?" I ask, with maybe a little too much concern in my voice.

"In her room resting," she said with a curious smile on her face. "Would you like to go up and see her?

"Sure," I say, thinking that I might not have a reason to see her later.


	2. Chapter 2

Katniss:

I sit on my bed staring out the window, trying to rid my mind of the nightmare I just had. Watching all my friends and loved ones die. But I can't. Even though it's painful to remember, it's even more so to try and forget. Tears well up in my eyes. Rue, Finnick, Cinna, Prim… all dead. I'm broken.

I get up, hoping that a walk in the woods could clear my mind. I quickly dress and walk out of my room. The hall is dark, so I don't see him until I practically run into him. "Hey Katniss," he says. I don't feel like talking, but I still get out a small "Hey." He looks at me with his crystal blue eyes. Peeta. Sometimes I ask myself if I love him. But I don't think I'm able to understand my own feelings.

"I have something to show you," he says. He takes my hand and pulls me behind him. We walk down the stairs and across the living room. He stops and turns to me before opening the door. "Close your eyes." Close my eyes? "Why?" I ask him. He smiles, "Trust me." Half reluctantly, I close my eyes. Peeta opens the door and helps me down the front steps of the house. We walk a few steps, then he stops and turns me around.

"Ok," he says, "Open them." I open my eyes and see flowers. Hundreds of flowers. Primroses. In remembrance of my little sister. I can't help but smile, something I haven't done in a long time. I look up at Peeta, who is smiling down at me. I surprise him and myself by throwing myself in his arms. He hesitates, but only slightly, and wraps him arms around me.

"Thank you Peeta," I manage to get out, "Thank you so much." "Your welcome," he says, and to my surprise, kisses the top of my head. Does he still love me? My feelings for Peeta have just become slightly clearer. And I have a feeling I'm hoping for more than friendship.


	3. Chapter 3

Peeta:

I honestly had no idea what went through my mind when I kissed Katniss's head. Caught up in the moment I guess. But she _had_ hugged me. And still is. I decide to break the silence. I pull back slightly from our hug and look at her. I see that she's dressed in her hunting jacket.

"Looks like your going hunting," I say. She looks up, "Oh yeah. I was on my way to the woods when I bumped into you." "Cool," I say. She looks at me and asks me something I was not expecting to hear, "You want to come with me?" I just stand there, with my mouth open. She knows I make a lot of noise. Is she serious? She just starts laughing. "Yes Peeta," she says, reading my thoughts, "I want you to come with me." Then something hits me. "This is the first time I've heard you laugh," I say. I smile at this thought myself. Katniss looks at me, "Yeah it's been a long time."

Katniss:

It's a short walk to the fence that separates the District and the woods. "Okay," I say, "Now we crawl under." Peeta looks at me. "And I wore my nicest shirt to," he jokes. I smile. His shirt is covered with dirt from planting the flowers. I get down on my belly and slide under the fence. Peeta does the same. There's a tangle of dried grass on his head and I reach up my hand to get it off. As I reach up, Peeta takes a small step back.

"Don't worry Peeta," I say with a smile on my face. I reach up again and this time get the grass off his head. "Thanks," he says. I smile and turn around. We walk to the hollow log were I keep my weapons. I take out the bow and throw the sheath of arrows over my shoulder. I turn back to Peeta, "Okay Peeta, you have to at least try and be quiet." He looks somewhat stunned, "Hey you wanted me to come with you so your going to have to put up with my loudness." I just stand there and look at him. He walks toward me and leans down, "Relax, I was only joking." I smile and give him a playful push, only to be pushed back. I laugh again. There's something about Peeta. I've never laughed like this before. I can't even remember the last time I smiled.

I make a last minute decision and put my bow and sheath back in the log. "Follow me," I say, and start walking. After a tiring 20-minute walk, we finally get to the lake. I turn back and see Peeta is barely making it to the clearing. His eyes light up at the sight of the lake as he makes his way towards me. "Its beautiful," he says. Then looks down at me. "Just like you." I turn to look at him. He puts his hand on my cheek. The next thing I know, the space between us is filled as his lips meet mine.


	4. My Fault

**Hey guy… It's been almost 5 months since I last updated and I feel HORRIBLE! Feel free to hate me but hope you don't. I was gonna give up on this story but The Other Side of Sanity (aka my best friend) told me not to. So yeah here's chapter four. R&R!**

Katniss POV

"I'm sorry. I shouldn't have done that," he says. And he's gone. Once again I'm alone. A feeling much too familiar to my liking. For a moment, the old Peeta was back. For a moment I thought things were back to the way they used to be. But they never will. Too many things have changed. Too many people have died. We're both still broken inside and trying to put the pieces together. We need each other. A rustling bush interrupts my thoughts. A rabbit is visible through the bush and I instinctively reach for my bow. Then I remember that I left it behind. So much for hunting, I think to myself. I decide to head back home. It takes about twenty-five minutes to get to the gate. I slide under the fence and walk through the Meadow, taking the old route to my house in the Seam. I don't know why, but I wanted to see how the rebuilding is doing. I walk down familiar streets to my old neighborhood.

A lot has been rebuilt. It's amazing to see in the few weeks I've been sitting at home this has happened. Because of my lack of activity I'm tired quickly. I walk through town to get to the Victor's Village when I see him. Standing near the ruins of the bakery. His head is down and I know he's in pain. I begin to walk towards him. I want to tell him I'm sorry, but I know better and I stop. One look at me right now could give him a flashback. I think back to when we were in Thirteen. He said that I was the reason his family is dead. He couldn't have been more right. It was my fault Snow bombed Twelve. It's my fault Peeta was tortured. I run the rest of the way home. I can't think straight. I know everyone hates me, including Peeta. Deep down, I even hate myself. I throw the door to my house open and run up the stairs into my room. I lock the door and sit on the floor with my back against the wall, shaking.

Peeta POV

I walk home not knowing what exactly happened. I kissed Katniss. I don't know why, I just did. That's exactly what the old me would have done… I think. Did she kiss me? Or was it just me hoping she did. That was the first I had seen her smile in a long time. And it reminded me why I fell in love with her in the first place. On my way to the Victor's Village I pass the ruins of my home. The Bakery. Not a flashback, but a memory comes to my mind. I was young, it was raining, and a girl was looking through our trash. I remember my mother yelling at her to go away, calling her filthy names. She was thin and frail, but young. She ran under a tree and sat at foot of the trunk. I somehow felt her pain and wanted to help her. I went back inside, grabbed the wooden stick we used to put bread into the oven, and pushed the bread into the fire.

My mother yelled at me and hit me with the stick. She gave the bread to me and told me to feed it to the pigs. I ran outside, trying to scrape the burnt parts off the bread. Then I threw it to the girl and ran back inside. There's nothing shiny about this memory and I know it was real. I know the girl was Katniss. And I loved her then. I look at the remains of the bakery. Part of me hates Katniss. It's her fault my family's dead. Her fault I was tortured. But the good inside me says I love her, and that this isn't her fault. She saved hundreds of lives by leading the rebellion. Even if it meant losing loved ones on the way. She lost her sister. The one person she loved. Her mother isn't brave enough to come back here.

That is worse than my situation. My family is dead and there is no bringing them back. All I could do is miss them. Katniss's mother is alive, and she wasn't there when Katniss needed her the most. She still isn't there for her. I walk home and figure out one thing. No matter what my feelings for her are, I have to be there for Katniss. I loved her once, I still love her, but I'm afraid I've hurt her too much.

The war changed us. We're different now. We need each other. Now more than ever.


	5. Three Little Words

**Author's note: Once again it has been FOREVER since I last updated. I'm really sorry about the time gap. It's just that my life is insanely hectic. This one or the next chapter will most likely be the last chapter of this story since I don't really have anything else to write about. :P So here is chapter cinco!**

Peeta POV

I'm opening the door of my house when I hear a scream. It's a girl's scream, and I know who it belongs to. I run across my yard into Katniss's. I run up the steps and into her house. Her screams continue as I run up the stairs. I find her bedroom door only to find that it's locked

"Katniss!" I pound on the door. She's having a nightmare I know she is. "Katniss wake up," I shout through the door. Her screams stop and she begins to sob. I need to get to her. I need to let her know I'm here for her. "Katniss open the door," I say quietly. I hear a shuffling noise and the lock clicks open. I slowly open the door. Katniss is sitting on the floor with her back against the wall. She's shaking and hugging her knees to her chest. She looks up at me and starts crying. "I'm so sorry Peeta," she says. She puts her forehead to her knees. "It's my fault your family is dead," she sniffs, "So many people died because of me." She pauses. "You were right to hate me," she says quietly. I walk over to her and sit down, putting my arms around her.

"I don't hate you Katniss," I whisper in her ear. She just cries harder. It's breaking my heart to see her like this. She buries her face in my shirt and I can feel her tears soaking into my skin. "Yes you do," her voice is muffled by my shirt. She begins to cry uncontrollably. I hear footsteps in the hallway and Haymitch appears at the door. Katniss doesn't notice. Her face is still buried in my chest. I look at Haymitch and am surprised. He looks… sober. You can tell by the look on his face that he is worried. We come to a silent agreement and he quietly leaves, leaving Katniss and me alone. She is still crying.

I hold her closer to me. "Shh Katniss don't cry," I say quietly. "I don't hate you." She stops crying and starts hiccupping. She lifts up her head, "Why wouldn't you?" She looks into my eyes, as if daring me to oppose her. "Even I hate mysel-" "Don't say that," I say sternly, cutting her off. She looks at me. "Why wouldn't you hate me?" she asks. "Because of me your family is dead. You have every reason to."

"I don't hate you," I say again. Tears fill her eyes, threatening to spill over. "Why don't you?" Katniss. My strong Katniss is now so weak. I need her to know I'm here for her. I need to show her how much I need her. I lean forward and kiss her cheek. "Because I love you," I whisper into her ear. She shakes her head, tears falling from her eyes. She's beautiful even when she cries. I put my hand on her cheek, wiping away her tears. "I'll always be here for you Katniss," I put all my emotions in my words. "I promise." I look into her eyes. Her beautiful grey eyes.

I lean down and kiss her. She hesitates at first, but then kisses back. I pull back and lift her up. She's surprisingly lighter than she used to be. I tuck her into bed and turn to leave. She catches my wrist, "Stay with me." I smile and kiss her cheek. "Always," I respond. I slip in to the bed next to her and hold her, just like I used to on the train. She falls asleep within minutes. She doesn't make a sound. And I know that she is finally not having a nightmare.

Katniss POV

I wake up the next morning in my bed with Peeta's arms around me. I snuggle closer to him. Not wanting to ever let him go. He told me last night that he loved me. I still don't know what to think. Peeta moved and opened his eyes. He saw that I was awake and kissed my forehead. I smiled the smile that only Peeta could get out of me.

"Good morning," I say softly. Rest my head on his chest and look up at him. "Good Morning," he responds. We just lie there and stare out the window. It's silent but not awkward. I never felt that way with Peeta. "What are you going to do today?" I ask him.

"I was going to help with rebuilding the bakery. I want to keep the bakery going. Baking keeps my mind off… other things." Peeta says this cautiously. I know what he's talking about and I understand. "Do you think I can help?"

An hour later, we walk out of the house and down the street hand in hand. The rebuilding is long, slow work, but surprisingly fun. Peeta introduces me to his friends from before an after the rebellion. After working, we all go to the get lunch at Sae's new diner. After two hours of sitting, talking, and much laughing, Peeta and I make our way home.

"I had fun today," I tell Peeta while we walk. "I'm glad you did," he responds. He leans down and kisses my cheek and I blush. We walk up the steps of my house and face each other. "So I'll see you tomorrow?" he asks shyly. I giggle. "Of course," I respond with a smile. He smiles. "Goodnight Katniss." He turns and starts walking down the steps. "Wait!'' I run down the steps as he turns around. I throw my arms around his neck and look into his eyes. I tilt my head and close my eyes as my lips meet his. It's a slow give and take before we pull apart. I look him in the eye. "I love you Peeta. I always have. I was just too stupid to realize it. And I promise that I'll never leave you again." He smiles and kisses me again.

We sleep together that night. Holding each other to keep away the nightmares. And I'm not letting go any time soon.

**Okay so the next chapter is gonna take place a year later and that will be the last chapter of the story. I have a genius idea for the sequel to this involving Katniss' and Peeta's kids. I'm home sick from school so I had time to write this and the next chapter. So…. Se ya later!**


	6. Chapter 6

**Okay my lovelies! Last chapter of the story! I'll post the sequel most likely this week… If I have time. But spring break started on Thursday! Hallelujah! The words break and vacation are the sound of gospel choirs to my ears. That was cheesy… so here's the epilogue!**

Three year later

Katniss POV

People say that time flies by, and now its proven true. Peeta and I married two years ago. Annie and my mother keep us up to date with their lives with their weekly letters. Little Finn is three years old and, according to Annie, is as handsome as his father.

Not a day goes by that we don't think about the people we lost. And it turns out that Prim didn't die. After the bombing she was in a coma. She's up and going again, helping my mother in District 4. We talk occasionally. She'll be coming in a month to meet our little girl.

Rosalie Hope Mellark. She's four months old and the love of our lives. With my dark hair and Peeta's blue eyes, she is the most beautiful child ever. I never thought I would have children, but Peeta changed that. He convinced me that nothing bad would happen to her and there is no chance of her ever being forced into the Games.

"We fixed that problem didn't we?" is what he asked when I told him what I was so scared about. Now I'm glad he changed my mind. I'd like to say we're the best parents, but half the time we have no idea what we're doing. But seeing our baby healthy and happy is worth the struggles.

**Okay peoples, that was the end. Horrible ending but I'm writing a sequel. It's mostly about Rosalie. Lots of twists and turns. And I know in the book epilogue it said she didn't have kids until after 15 years but it's a fanfic so I thought I'd add a twist like that. And Prim's alive! I just couldn't believe she died. So the sequel will be on my profile page. Thank you so much to everyone who followed and fovorited! See ya later!**


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